Mail-delivery system



Dec. 13, 1927.

I. E. L. KEMPF MAIL DELIVERY SYSTEM Filed May 4. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor Dec. 13, 1927. 1,652,245

1. E. L. KEMPF MAIL DELIVERY SYSTEM Filed May 4. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 13, 1927.

' UNITED STATES IDAIE. L. KEMPF, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

MAIL-DELIVERY SYSTEM.

Application filed May 4, 1926. Serial naioaess.

This invention relates to delivery systems and has more particular reference to a means whereby mail may be delivered to the post office directly from the street mail boxes without requiring the services of mail collectors.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a system of this character that may be readily installed in large cities at an expense easily accounted for within a few years by the resultant saving in non-en'iploy ment of mail collectors and the non-procurement of mail collecting wagons, automobiles and the like. 1

A further object is to provide a system of this character that contemplates the installation of suitable underground or overhead tubes within which are suitable conveying mechanism in communication with mail receiving boxes arranged at predetermined corners of the city blocks, in order that the mail will be immediately carried to the postoflice after being dropped into the mail boxes by the depositors.

WVith the foregoing and other objects in view as the nature of the invention will be better understood, the same comprises the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view in full and dotted lines of my improved mail delivery system.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through one of the main delivery tubes and its" auxiliary feed tube that has communication with a mail receiving box upon the corner of a city block, andv j F ig. 3 is an enlarged detail longitudinal section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2 and looking in a downward direction.

Now having particular reference to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 a fragmentary diagrammatic view of my improved system, wherein 5 designates the building blocks within a city and 6-6 the parallel main highways intersecting the blocks.

My invention constitutes the provision of metallic or other suitable material tubes? constructed beneath the surface of the streets 6 preferably intermediate the opposite sides thereof. These tubes extend from a predetending inwardly beneath the city blocks from the main delivery tubes 7.

Extendmg throughout the entire length of the main tubes 7 are endless conveyors des ignated generally 11, which in the present instance consist of concave rollers 12 provided with pintles upon their opposite ends that are journaled in upstanding brackets 13-13 disposed in spaced relation upon the lower interior surface of the tubes as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Trained over these rollers is an endlessbelt 14, the upper flight of which becomes dished as clearly shown in Fig. 2 in order that the mail will not pass beyond the side edges thereof and consequently become lost within the tube. Preventing sagging of the lower flight of the belt, there is provided supporting cloth rollers 15 that also carry pintles at their opposite ends journal-ed within lugs l616 upon the lower interior surface'of the tubes intermediate the concave roller supporting members 13-13.

Suitable means may be provided at the remote rollers within the tubes for maintaining the belts taut. WVithin the feed tubes 10 aresimilar concave rollers 17 over which is trained an endless belt 18. The outermost one of these rollers is disposed above the endless belt 14 within the tube 7 and carries pintles 1919 at its opposite ends which are slidably journaled in slots formed in the lower ends of pendant brackets 20 secured at their upper ends to the upper interior surface of the tube 7, Fig. 2.

Secured to the outer sides of each of said brackets 20 are relatively L-shaped arms 21 within the pendant portions of which are openings through which screw bolts 22 pass, the inner ends thereof being eyed for receiving the pintles 19 of the endm'ost roller 11.

within the feed tubes 10 and at once he car' ried outwardly therefrom onto the conveyors within the tubes 7 and consequently be carried to the post oflice without requiring the services of a mail collector.

I do not desire to be limited to the specific structural details shown and described, inasmuch as in the future practice of the invention, minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope oi the appended claim.

Even though I have herein shown and described the tubes of the system as being installed beneath the surface of the ground, it is nevertheless to be understood that these tubes may be supported overhead if desired, without departing from the spirit and Scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let-- ters Patent is In an endless conveyor, a series of spaced rollers, an endless belt trained thereover, means for holding the endless belt taut, comprising a pair of stationary brackets formed with horizontal slots, said brackets being disposed on opposite sides of one of the endmost rollers, pintles extending from the ends of said rollers through the slots in the respective brackets, substantially Lshaped arms secured at one end to the respective brackets, an eye bolt extending through the free end of each of the L-shaped arms, the eye portion of each bolt engaging over the outer end of the respective pintle, and a nut threaded on the threaded end of each bolt and engaging the free end of the arm for effecting the sliding movement of thepintle in the slot and holding said roller in any adjusted position,

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

IDA n. L. KEMPF. 

